Sen. Hicks’ study on supervised visitation points to need to improve safety, accountability

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, says her recent interim study on supervised visitation has provided insight into the need to improve safety for children involved in court ordered supervised visitation, and the need to create greater accountability for those involved in the process.

Hicks requested the study because of the murder of six-year-old Lizzy Feaster by her father during a supervised visit in 2025. The father then took his own life.

“We looked at the different kinds of supervised visitation, including children in the custody of the Department of Human Services, as well as children whose parents are separated or divorced. We know we’re not starting from scratch – there are policies and statutes that address how this is supposed to work in both circumstances,” Hicks said. “But this study underscored the fact that having standards in statute is not the same as having consistent standards in practice. First and foremost, safety must be the foundation.”

Hicks said based on the testimony presented in the study before the Senate’s Judiciary Committee, she has identified several areas to continue examining. These include:

• Statewide minimum standards for supervised visitation providers.
• Consistent training and background-screening requirements.
• Clear safety protocols for high-risk cases.
• Standards for documentation and reporting.
• Procedures for responding to violations or terminating unsafe visits.
• Meaningful oversight and accountability.
• Appropriate consideration of domestic violence and child abuse dynamics.
• Rural access and provider capacity.
• Affordability and sustainable funding.
• Mechanisms for evaluating whether the system is actually working as intended.

“When a court orders supervised visitation, that order carries an expectation of safety. A child should not have to bear the consequences when the systems designed to protect them fail to communicate, fail to document, fail to train, or fail to act,” Hicks said. “I will continue to pursue this issue throughout the interim and plan on introducing legislation for the 2027 session called the Supervised Visitation Safety and Accountability Act – ‘Lizzy’s Law.’” 

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For more information, contact:  Sen. Carri Hicks at 405-521-5543 or Carri.Hicks@oksenate.gov